the Arctic Ocean will probably be ice free by the end of this century

Melting of Arctic puts us in a perilous situation. Following a visit to Siberia several weeks ago, Dr. Katey Walter, an ecologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in the USA stated that the permafrost is melting at an unprecedented rate across the Arctic. She said, “Lakes in Siberia are five times bigger than when I measured them in 2006. It's unprecedented. This is a global event now.” Norwegian scientists also recently reported a steady and relatively large increase in atmospheric methane levels since 2004, which they believe is due to the thawing of permafrost in North America and Russia. With methane’s warming potential averaged over 20 years being some 72 times higher than that of CO2, excessive release of this gas could accelerate global warming beyond our control.

Our gratitude, Norwegian scientists and Dr. Katey Walter for your eye-opening reports on the urgency of the global warming crisis. We pray that all heed the warning signs and act now in vital areas such as eliminating meat consumption to halt the production of atmospheric methane and save our Mother Earth.

In a June 2008 videoconference in London, United Kingdom, Supreme Master Ching Hai further explained the connection between the accelerated rate of melting permafrost and livestock raising, the most serious cause of atmospheric warming.

Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai
London Center United Kingdom June 13, 2008

Supreme Master Ching Hai: So now, the permafrost layer is melting each day. And the methane gas, or other gas even, are releasing into the atmosphere. I really hope and pray that someone is listening. Methane and nitrous oxide is made by stock raising, stock keeping, animals keeping.They are far more poisonous, far more dangerous than CO2. Because the atmosphere is getting warmer and so the methane is bubbling out. If we stop the worst cause of global warming, meaning stock raising, animal breeding, then we will be able to save the planet.

West Antarctic ice sheet could melt – again

West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse. Teams of New Zealand, American and European researchers recently completed two studies that show that the West Antarctic Ice Shelf has periodically collapsed in the past. With just a 5 degree Celsius rise in ocean temperatures, the corresponding sea levels would rise some 5 meters and inundate entire nations. The scientists state that human-caused climate change is accelerating this natural collapse cycle, with co-author Dr. David Pollard at Pennsylvania State University warning, “…It is something to be concerned about; you cannot just ignore it because it is happening in thousands of years time.”

Thank you, international scientists, for expanding our knowledge of the dire state of our planet. Let us quickly turn toward much-needed eco-conscious changes in our lifestyles to ease the consequences of global warming and save all precious life on Earth.

In a videoconference with our Association members in Canada, on August 24, 2008, Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke of the ice melt as being an urgent signal for humans to take swift action.


Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai Vancouver Center Canada
August 24, 2008

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Mostly the time of disappearing of the ice means also the spelling of trouble for our planet. Of course it would be better if we already saved the planet before the ice melted. But as it is, we can only do the best we can and trying to inform everybody to save themselves by being vegetarian.

If the ice melts quicker, then, of course, we have shorter time to save the planet. But nevertheless because people are joining the vegetarian diet, so we’re going to get it somehow fixed somewhere so that the time would be a little bit more lenient to us. Then we still can manage to save the world. Not complete, and not as much as we wanted if we have more time, but still better than nothing.